1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to finding areas of interest in images, and to methods and apparatuses for finding areas or regions of interest in two-dimensional gray-scale images. More particularly, the present invention relates to methods and apparatuses for finding barcode symbols in static or dynamically evolving two-dimensional gray-scale images.
2. Statement of Related Art
In the field of package shipping, barcode symbols encode information about packages. One or more of these barcode symbols are printed on shipping labels that are affixed to packages. These barcode symbols may then be "read" using label reading systems. In some applications, packages are required to be processed in real time under conditions that are not well suited for conventional laser-based label reading systems. Such applications require large depths and fields of view as well as the ability to process randomly oriented labels. For example, a fixed barcode scanner positioned above a moving conveyor belt may be required to find and decode barcode symbols on labels affixed to packages that pass under the scanner. These barcode symbols may be randomly oriented and positioned within the scanner's field of view at various distances from the scanner. When employed in connection with such applications, conventional laser-based label reading systems may not have sufficient depth and field of view.